In cooperation with the Technical University of Denmark, Vestas is installing a concept demonstrator to test the technical feasibility to operate and control a multi-rotor turbine.

According to Vestas, continuing to reduce the levelized cost of energy over the long term will require new solutions and a new way of thinking. Thus, with this concept demonstrator, Vestas says it is challenging core scaling rules that turbines have to grow in size in order to increase their energy output.

However, many new load and control features will need to be developed, tested and proven to assess the technical and eventual commercial feasibility of the concept, notes Vestas.

With the Technical University of Denmark as a research partner, Vestas is erecting the multi-rotor concept demonstrator at the Risø test site near Roskilde, Denmark, where it will be studied closely in the coming years in order to test specific functionalities.

“Installing a concept turbine shows that innovation sometimes entails entirely new thinking and new approaches. This process of continuous innovation and exploration is extremely important,” says Jorge Magalhaes, senior vice president of Vestas for innovation and concepts.

“It provides us with essential knowledge that can help us bring down our products’ cost of energy and integrate key technologies to solve our customers’ challenges. Ultimately, the goal is to assess if we can build an even more cost-efficient turbine by challenging the scaling rules,” Magalhaes adds.